Waiting in line can be a trying experience for even the most patient person. While some people may bring reading material or a crossword puzzle to help pass the time while waiting in line, other people without such materials are left to wait for the people ahead of them in line to finish their transactions.
For businesses, long wait times in line can drive away potential customers as well as create unhappy customers. While some businesses will open new checkout lines or service counters when wait times get too long at existing checkout lines or service counters, a business might not always be sufficient staff on hand to open additional checkout lines or service counters. Further, during certain peak business periods (e.g., lunch time or right after work), customers may still experience long wait times even when every single checkout line or service counter at a business is open and staffed.